Volcanic Ash Effect Cuts Many B-Town Celebs' Plans

Many stranded as airports shut; Roshans board the only New York-London flight to be in time for Kites premiere. Bollywood's been feeling the heat after Iceland's volcano erupted again yesterday. Two European airports were forced to

Many stranded as airports shut; Roshans board the only New York-London flight to be in time for Kites premiere.

Bollywood's been feeling the heat after Iceland's volcano erupted again yesterday. Two European airports were forced to shut early in the morning, upsetting the applecart for several B-Town celebrities.

FLYING HIGH: Hrithik Roshan attended the premi re of Kites in New York last week, and just about managed to get a flight to London yesterday

Rakesh Roshan and his family -- wife Pinky, son Hrithik and daughter-in-law Sussanne -- with Kites director Anurag Basu and lead actress Barbara Mori, who were in New York on Sunday for the premiere of Kites, were stranded at the airport.

The Roshans managed to board the only flight that left New York for London last evening [morning for the US time zone] and were expected to reach in time for the London premiere of the film tonight at the Leicester Square Odeon West End cinemas.

Actor Kunal Kapoor was to leave yesterday for London for some action training. "Hopefully, I will be going tomorrow now," Kunal told MiD DAY. "I'm not disappointed though. I was to chill in London for a couple of days before starting my training. I have informed my instructors of the delay in case flights get pushed further." Kunal said he was keen on leaving yesterday as he wanted to attend the Kites premiere tonight.

Likewise, business meetings that Ekta Kapoor's had pencilled in also became a casualty of the inclement weather abroad. Ekta was to fly to London on Sunday night but had to stay put in Mumbai. "I was to leave on Sunday as I had some important business meetings in London," said Ekta. "Now I will go next week after the meetings get rescheduled."

Meanwhile, action hero Akshay Kumar who is shooting in London for Nikhil Advani's Patiala House was lucky. Kumar, who was in Barbados, flew to London on a chartered flight on Sunday night. He was in Barbados with a few friends to watch the T20 cricket finals.

Mallika Sherawat who was in Cannes for the 63rd International Film Festival to announce the release date of her film, Hissss, and was to fly back to Los Angeles yesterday, had to drop her travel plans. Mallika was in Cannes with her producer brother, Vikram, who had gone to promote Hissss there.